Lady In Red
by Nenshite
Summary: [AbelxEsther]The end result when a redhead nun wears a beautiful red gown...[Songfic]


**Lady In Red - Performed by Chris DeBurgh**

_I've never seen you looking so lovely _

_As you did tonight _

_I've never seen you shine so bright _

_I've never seen so many men ask you if you wanted to dance _

_They're looking for a little romance _

Esther never liked wearing red. She thought the color (for a dress) was too gaudy for her liking. Yes her hair was red, but that was different. Tonight was a special occasion, however, and the cardinal insisted her wearing red. She wanted to wear a sky blue, with an irredecense of pink, but orders was orders. As she zipped up the back of her boned bodice corset gown, she let out a annoyed grunt. _This dress is too tight!_ She thought angrily in her head. But a few moments later, she finally manages the task of securing the zipper.

She sighed, and looked at herself in the mirrior. She never liked wearing red, but, as said before, orders was orders. "Now I wonder why Lady Catherina wanted me to wear red?" Esther said to herself before sighing and going to her dresser for her few beloved jewelry: a black velvet choker with a diamond in it. With a sigh, she tuns heel, and walks out the door, and into the hall towards the ball.

On her way, she sees Father Nightroad walking towards her, but suddenly stopping in his steps, blushing madly as her hair. She raises her brows.

"Sister Esther! You...you look..."

She narrows her eyes, and places her hands on her hips, thinking the colour red seemed odd on her. "I look _what?_"

The father scratches the back of his head, and avoiding her pounding glare trying to think of a way out of his predicament...one again. "You look awfully lovely tonight..." He manages out, then returning to her azure eyes.

Her glare softened to meaningful eyes, and flushed a light pink. "T - thank you Father Nightroad, that's awfully kind of you!" She says, looking down coyly, kicking the edge of the blood-red carpet with her high-heeled foot. A few minutes later, the flushing spoke up.

"Do...do you want me to escort you to the ball?"

She looked up into his eyes, and smiled sincerely. "I'd love that...Abel."

The priest blinked. That was the _first_ time she had used his _first_ name.

_Given half a chance _

_And I've never seen that dress you're wearing _

_Or that highlights in your hair _

_That catch your eyes _

_I have been blind _

Descending down the staircase like a scene cut from _"Cinderella"_ was a first to Esther. Arm-in-arm with her favorite priest was a dream-come-true...except if two other things would happen. A slow-dance with Abel, and a kiss.

But she sighed defeated, knowing that would never happen in a million years.

At the foot of the stairs, time seemed it stood still. She was still arm-in-arm with the tall priest, not wanting him to look at her flushed red face. She slowly looked up, and saw Catherina in a beautiful white gown, with red lace layering cascading toward the hem, encasing the cardinal in utter brilliance as she is. Others turned to look at the couple, some of the women shooting glares like bows and arrows, the men awed at her beauty, while the cardinal turned from her conversation to look at what the fuss was all about. She smiled warmly at the sight, then winked at Esther, turning around to continue the conversation once again. A smile tugged at her lips, feeling the father's gaze towards her. She looks up, wiping the smile from her face before he could see it.

But he saw.

And his face is as the colour of her hair.

He still wore his AX uniform, since he did quite not like social gatherings such as these. Instead, he would wander about, and maybe raid the refridgerater without the chef's knowabouts. Or he would walk the streets, seraching out the night for a cup of tea...or beg for three more dinars _for _a cup of tea. But tonight, things were different. He looked down at her, and performed a small smile only for her viewing.

"Would that be all, Sister Esther?" He says sheepishly.

She looks down, and sighs. _Yes, many things. Just a dance and a kiss to complete my evening..._ She looks back up at him, and hesitantly nodded her head, her eyes telling him otherwise.

He leaned down, and kissed her forehead fatherly, and squeezed her hand reassuringly, then walking out into the night, slumping his shoulders while a slight breeze blew his signature tied silver hair with it.

_The lady in red is dancing with me _

_Cheek to cheek _

_There's nobody here _

_It's just you and me _

_It's where I wanna be _

_But I hardly know this beauty by my side _

_I'll never forget the way you look tonight _

After many dances with men who wanted her graceful touch, and many jealous glares from women, she stands on the balcony, folding her hands on the wall, resting her precious head atop them. The stars were twinkling, the crickets were chirping, and the moon was afull.

A full moon.

She sighs, and closes her eyes, allowing the breeze to take her mind to imaginations of long ago. Slow, but steady footfalls stirr her from her privacy. She slowly turns around, and sees the father walking towards her, the glare of his glasses giving his position away.

"Father Nightroad! What are you doing here so early?" She greets him sweetly.

He slowly looks up, and fakes a smile. "The inner-city bored me greatly. No one wanted to spare a few dinars for a poor, hungry priest..." He says, positioning himself next to her, staring up at the moon, which caught his interest.

She jokingly snorts, and stifles her giggles. He looks down at her, eyebrows raised. "What was that for?"

"Oh...nothing!"

"That wasn't a nothing-nothing, that was a something-nothing!"

"Oh? How can you tell?"

"You don't believe I'm starving?" He says, humourous tears welling up in his eyes.

"To be honest with you, no I don't."

The priest sniffs sharply, then sighs. "Well, if you heard my stomach growling, would you believe me then?"

She thought about it for a moment. "Very well."

With a sly smile crossing his lips, he takes a step toward her, then takes her into his arms, his left hand cupping her head securely onto his chest. Of course, Esther heard nothing but his heartbeat, which made her blush. She never knew what it was about him that made her blush. Maybe the postition they were in. A moonlit balcony, a romantic cloaked figure, with a delicate maiden in his arms.

He bent his head down to her ear. "What do you hear?" He whispers, gently ruffling her hair.

"...your heartbeat." She whispers back, her eyes closed to concentrate on his life time-clock.

He hums thoughtfully. "I thought so..."

She gently wraps her arms around his waist, and hugs him tighter against herself. "I told you you weren't starving." She said with a hint of humour.

"That wasn't needed," He adds back.

"...yes it was."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes!" She giggles.

He sighs defeatedly, and rests his chin in her flame-red hair. "Very well, then."

_I've never seen you looking so gorgeous _

_As you did tonight _

_I've never seen you shine so bright _

_You were amazing _

_I've never seen so many people _

_Want to be there by your side _

_And when you turned to me and smiled _

_It took my breath away _

_And I have never had such a feeling such a feeling _

_Of complete and utter love, as I do tonight _

Catherina's curiousity sky-rocketed, wondering what was the status of the two. She knew Abel was probably out begging for allowances. A small chuckle escaped her lips, as she thoughtfully held her champagne flute at her mouth, mind lost in thought. She excuses herself from her colleagues, and wanders towards the entrance to the night. Her heels clicked on the concrete/marble ground below her, as she gently spun her beverage in her glass smoothly. Then, she sees two shadows, dangerously close to one another, swaying back and forth to faint music heard in the background. She quietly peeped arund a pillar, and saw a sight she hadn't seen in years...

Abel was actually happy.

A smile crosses her lips, and she slowly pulls away from the pillar. She silently came her way back the way she came, and stopped at the enterance, pausing for a brief second.

"You have learned to finally be happy...but how long it will last, I don't know..." She whispers as she gracefully walks back towards her colleagues...

* * *

Gently holding her in his arms, Abel felt whole. For once in his life, he forgot his griefs and burdens; and he felt that way everytime he touched Esther. The music in the background was faintly silent, only the wind as their music. As soon as the music ended, so did Esther, as Abel followed. She avoided his gaze, and looked at her feet below, hiding the fact that her face was the color as her hair. Abel couldn't help but smile at her being.

"Please don't be coy with me, Esther. You know me better than that," He softly whispers to her.

She slowly looks up, surprised to see his face a breath away. His eyes were serene and calm, expressing love for the little redhead. She blushes a deeper crimson, and bites her lip. She opens her mouth to speak, but is surprised to see the father's lips part, and near hers.

_I never will forget the way you look tonight _

_The lady in red _

_My lady in red _

_I love you _

Esther's heart ran faster than a locomotive, as she held her breath when contact was reached. At first she stayed still as the silver-haired priest engaged her lips in a dance of their own, but she slowly followed his lead as she tasted his presence. Her lips shifted, and ended up on the priest's lower lip, suckling gently as her arms moved their way around his neck. He slowly tightens his grip on Esther, but made sure not to hurt her in any way as he presses his mouth more into her's, making her moan gently. Finally, they slowly finish their kiss, and gaze into each other's eyes. Esther presses her forehead on his.

"Abel," she whispers.

"Mmm?" He says, eyes lightly closed.

"I love you." She says, gently rubbing her nose on his.

He slowly opens his eyes to stare deeply into midnight azure orbs. "And I, you...my love,"


End file.
